LR native ready to take next step in career 

WHAT:           Daryl Macon signing            

WHO:             Little Rock native Daryl Macon, family and friends, Little Rock Parks & Rec staff                     

WHERE:         Little Rock Chamber of Commerce

WHEN:            1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12

A Little Rock native who spent 15 years playing in the City’s recreational leagues will become the one of the first official commitments of the 2016 University of Arkansas men’s basketball team when he signs Thursday during the early signing period.

Guard Daryl Macon, 6-3, of Little Rock Parkview and Holmes Community College (MS), was a familiar face on the City’s basketball courts. He began playing in Little Rock Parks and Recreation youth basketball programs at age 5 and continued with the Parks & Rec basketball leagues until he left for college, including the youth junior NBA/WNBA program, Middle and High School Junior Hoops League, and the Men’s Summer Basketball League.

Other sports notables have come up through the Parks & Rec leagues and achieved success at the professional level, including Joe Johnson and Sidney Moncrief. But Macon is thought to be the first product of the City’s Parks and Recreation program who played all of his developmental years here and trained in Parks & Rec facilities before moving to the next level.

“We are incredibly proud of all that Daryl has accomplished over the years,” said Parks and Recreation Director Truman Tolefree. “Anyone who watched him light up the court as a kid knew the caliber of player he could become. It’s exciting to witness him enter this next phase of his career.”

As a freshman during the 2014-15 season at Holmes Community College, Macon had been expected to make an immediate impact as a high-profile recruit and he did just that, averaging 23 points a game and scoring 737 points, finishing sixth in the nation. He also averaged 4.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game. He led the team to a 25-7 overall record, brought home a North Division title, MACJC Runner-Up trophy, a Region championship and the Elite 8 in the NJCAA Tournament. Macon was one of two freshman in the country named as a First Team National Junior College All-American. He also received NJCAA Region XXIII Player of the Year.

As a member of the Parkview Patriots basketball team, Macon played an important role as the team went to state championship games all four years, taking home the trophy his freshman and sophomore years. He was named Team Captain and First Team All-Arkansas as a senior. Prior to attending Parkview, Daryl attended Little Rock Pulaski Heights Panthers in middle school, where he also helped his team to basketball championships.

From ages 8-17, Macon played summer basketball for the Arkansas HAWKS as an elite summer basketball player. In that decade, Macon positioned himself among the best, and during his final summer in Las Vegas he caught the eye of coaches around the nation. In the summer of 2013, Macon gained national attention after leading the HAWKS to a victory with 28 points and a dynamic performance over other elite guards Emmanuel Mudiay (now with the NBA Denver Nuggets) and Malik Newman of Mississippi State.

Macon will make his oral commitment official and sign with the Razorbacks at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce.

###